Agenda item

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/141

Contact: Jim Daughton,  Service Manager, Delivery

Tel: (01865) 812083

Report by Deputy Director for Environment and Economy – Commercial & Delivery (CMDE4).

The report presents objections and other comments received during the course of the statutory consultation on two separate proposals: (i) for a 50mph speed limit on the A40 Oxford Northern Bypass between the A40 Headington roundabout north westwards to include the proposed new junction with the Barton Park development and (ii) for traffic restrictions at the latter junction and for a proposed link road from this junction to Foxwell Drive.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to:- 

(a)             approve the introduction of a 50 mph speed limit on A40 as advertised;

(b)            approve the introduction of traffic restrictions at the proposed junction on A40 as advertised;

(c)             approve the introduction of traffic restrictions on the proposed link road from Foxwell Drive to A40 should that road be constructed.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE4) objections and other comments received during the course of a statutory consultation on two separate proposals: (i) for a 50mph speed limit on the A40 Oxford Northern Bypass between the A40 Headington roundabout north westwards to include the proposed new junction with the Barton Park development and (ii) for traffic restrictions at the latter junction and proposed link road from this junction to Foxwell Drive.

Mr Chesman referred to improvements made to the A40 from a 3 lane to a dualled road to improve traffic flow at considerable cost. He considered the current 70 speed limit was suitable and having closed a number of junctions on this stretch of the A40 for safety reasons due to a number of accidents he couldn’t understand why a new junction was now being proposed. It would result in more queues in the rush hour, encourage rat running and only be 500 meters from the flyover and deceleration lane making it unsafe and difficult to enforce and in any event a decision should be deferred until the outcome of the application for the Town/Village Green on Foxwell Drive was known.

Mr Comerford referred to the commitment to provide houses.  There had been excellent collaboration with the County Council on this scheme which would provide integrated movement and was a critical element in the delivery of houses and other facilities associated with the Barton Park development.

Jane Cox stated that by providing a route to Headington and the City the link road would turn Northway into a roundabout. Over the years the area had changed considerably with few open spaces left and that would be further depleted by cutting through the existing children’s playground subjecting residents to higher traffic levels, more pollution and noise all within a less safe environment. She urged the County Council not to support provision of the link road.

Councillor Phillips supported the reduced speed limit but stressed the importance of providing camera enforcement to help meet local concerns regarding non-compliance with current limits. Inevitably the village green application hung over this aspect of the scheme and she asked if that application  was successful how it would affect bus routes.

Mr Tole confirmed that if the town & village green application was successful then the link road element could not proceed. He advised that the decision of the Inspector into that application was imminent and he understood the expectation was that it would to be considered by the County Council’s Planning & Regulation Committee on 12 January 2015. There could also be a further potential delay of 3 months from that date to allow for judicial review of any decision taken. If that happened it could be expected that there would be further considerable delay, which was why officers had taken the opportunity to put this to the Cabinet Member now. If an application for registration of a village green was successful then a T junction would be provided with a pedestrian link. He confirmed that the link road through to Foxwell Drive including aspects relating to noise, pollution etc. had been dealt with in full by the Inspector at the village green inquiry.

He acknowledged that there had been accidents at other junctions such as Cutteslowe and, although not technically closed, the Friar Bacon pub junction. However, neither of those junctions had been signal controlled whereas this proposed junction would.

He accepted there would be some congestion, which would never be removed at either Green Road or Wolvercote roundabouts but slowing traffic down would remove throughput.  It was expected that bus services would grow as the development grew but it was unlikely ever to be a major route.

He confirmed the link road would be camera enforced and enforced vigorously.

The Cabinet Member stressed that although many people wished to preserve the status quo with regard to the A40 that would not be possible now because there would have to be a junction provided to meet the terms of the planning permission granted for the Barton development. He had driven along there recently and it had seemed to him that 50 mph seemed to reflect the general speed of traffic.  He understood opposition to the link road was minded to approve the detail of the scheme subject to the outcome of the village green application.

Having regard to the arguments and options set out in the documentation before him, the representations made to him and the further considerations set out above the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed his decision as follows:

(a)             approve the introduction of a 50 mph speed limit on A40 as advertised;

(b)             approve the introduction of traffic restrictions at the proposed junction on A40 as advertised;

(c)             subject to the outcome of the town and village application relating to land at Foxwell Drive to approve the introduction of traffic restrictions on the proposed link road from Foxwell Drive to A40 should that road be constructed.

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Cabinet Member for Environment

Dated………………………………………